Toilet bowl ventilator



Oct. 27, 1964 H. A. HILL TOILET BOWL VENTILATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1962 0 6 4 g m H Z J V a \H \l V Henry A. Hill INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Ofitice 3,153,794- Patented Oct. 27, 1964 3,153,794 TOILET BOWL VENTILATQR Henry A. Hill, Box 63, Raymond, Mont. Filed July 27, 1962, Ser. No. 212,788 1 Claim. (Cl. 4213) The present invention generally relates to toilet bowls, and more particularly to a novel ventilating means for toilet bowls capable of being automatically actuated upon a raising of the toilet bowl cover.

While it is appreciated that many types of toilet bowl ventilators are known in the art, most, if not all of these ventilators require both a substantial modification of the toilet bowl, seat or cover and a complicated installation procedure. Additionally, such known ventilators, while being automatically actuated, rely on a movement of the seat under the weight of a person seated thereon, thus resulting in an unsteady seat and an automatic cutting d of the ventilator upon leaving the seat.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present invention resides in the provision of a ventilator which is extremely simple in construction and capable of being quickly installed by anyone capable of providing a round hole through the bathroom floor.

In conjunction with the above object, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a ventilator which can be quickly mounted on a conventional toilet with no modification of the structure thereof being necessary.

A further significant object of the present invention resides in the provision of a toilet bowl ventilator which is activated by a raising of the toilet cover rather than by an application of weight on the toilet seat thus enabling the retention of the exhaust fan of the ventilator in an on position for as long as desired.

Likewise, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective toilet bowl ventilator requiring a minimum amount of space and being capable of use over extended periods with little or no maintenance being required.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the ventilator of the present invention mounted for use on a toilet;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the structure in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 33 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of a toilet seat having the sealing means of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of a toilet seat having the mercury switch mounted thereon;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the ventilator of the present invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a partial perspective view illustrating a reverse positioning of the upper portion of the ventilator of FIGURE 6 such as might be required under various circumstances.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates the toilet bowl ventilator comprising the present invention, which ventilator 10 is to be applied to a conventional toilet bowl 12 having a substantially circular seat 14 thereon which in turn has a superjacent cover 16 which is pivotally mounted at the rear thereof, this pivotal mounting normally being effected by a pair of spaced hinge means 18 and 20.

The ventilator 16 consists of an oblong hollow chamber 22 positionable behind the seat 14 and directly on the upper surface of the toilet bowl 12. This chamber 22 has a transversely extending hollow projecting portion 24 secured thereto near the outer end thereof and being in communication with the interior of the chamber. As will be appreciated from the drawings, this portion 24 while of less height than the chamber 22, is substantially wider thereby having substantially the same cross-sectional area therein. The projecting portion 24, capable of being modified within the scope of the present invention for the accommodation of different models of toilets, is to be secured to the undersurface of the seat 14 between the hinges l3 and Zti by suitable fasteners such as screws 26 extending through aligned apertures 28 and 30, the apertures 28 allowing for the insertion of a suitable driving tool for the fasteners 26. It is contemplated that this portion 24 be of a size so as to substantially seal the entire area between the hinges 18 and 26 with additional tubular sealing means 32 being provided throughout the remainder of the space normally provided between the seat 14 and the bowl 12 because of the conventional pro vision of small feet 34, thus allowing for an effective exhausting of a major portion of the objectionable odors before the seat is vacated, any remaining odor being exhausted by leaving the cover open so as to continue the running of the ventilator. As best seen in FIGURE 3, the sealing gasket 32 is preferably in the form of a hollow tubular rubber or plastic member having a laterally projecting flange 36 thereon, which flange 36 facilitates the installation of the gasket 32.

Communicating with the opposite end of the hollow chamber 22 is a duct 33 which extends outwardly therefrom through the bathroom floor 40 just below which a suitable squirrel cage exhaust fan 42 is provided which fan 42 is in communication with a transversely extending second duct 44 preferably secured to the floor joists by bracket means 45. It will be appreciated that while the ducts 38 and 44 have been specifically illustrated as going through the floor and then transversely along the floor joists to a suitable outlet (not illustrated), these ducts, or any modifications thereof can be arranged so as to direct the objectionable odors to a suitable outlet by being extended either through a bathroom wall or even through the ceiling thereof as the various situations might require. Further, it is contemplated that the chamber 22, ducts 38 and 44, and fan 42 all be interconnected by frictional telescoping engagement, suitable couplings being provided, thus enabling the home handyman to quickly install the device.

The means for automatically activating the fan 42 consists of a conventional mercury switch 46 suitably secured to the undersurface of the cover 16 in a manner so as to be in an off position when the cover 16 is closed and in an on position when the cover is opened, suitable conventional cord means 43 being provided between the switch 46 and the fan 42.

Attention is directed toward FIGURE 7 wherein a reverse form of the intake end of the ventilator is illustrated, which reverse form is intended for use wherein the form illustrated in FIGURE 6 cannot conveniently be installed. Like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts.

From the foregoing, it is considered to be readily apparent that a highly novel though relatively simple toilet bowl ventilaitor has been defined wherein a fan is automatically actuated so as to draw out objectionable odors from a toilet bowl upon an opening of the toilet cover with the toilet seat being in sealing relationship to the toilet bowl so as to insure the exhausting of the major portion of the objectionable odors within a minimum amount of time. The ventilator of the present invention consists of an intake and formed so as to be compactly positioned in communication the. interior of the toilet bowl without modification of either the bowl or the seat and with the entire ventilator being inconspicuous be cause of both the size and positioning thereof. Further, the use of convenient lightweight interfitting conduits allows for an exhausting of the odors through the floor, walls or even ceiling as might be necessitated by various conditions.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

For use in combination with a conventional toilet bowl having a substantially circular seat hingedly' secured thereto by spaced hinges located at the rear thereof, said seat being spaced slightly above said bowl by support feet, and a hingedly mounted cover over said seat and spaced therefrom by support feet, a ventilator, said ventilator consisting of intake means securable beneath said seat and having an open end adapted to communicate with the interior of said bowl, duct means connected to said intake means and extensible to a suitable discharge point for the expelling of objectionable. odors, exhaust means associated with said duct means for drawing said odors therethrough, means for automatically actuating said exhaust means upon a raising of the cover, and sealing means provided for the space between the seat and the upper surface of the bowl throughout substantially the entire length of their opposed faces, said intake means consisting of an oblong chamber and a transversely extending rectangular hollow open ended projecting portion thereon, said chamber being positionable directly behind and parallel to the rear side of the seat with said open ended projecting portion extending into the space between the seat and the upper surface of the bowl and between the spaced hinges, said projecting portion being of a height substantially equal to the height of the space between the seat and the bowl and of a width substantially equal to the distance between the hinges, said actuating means consisting of a mercury switch mounted on the undersurface of the cover within the space be tween the cover and seat so as to be concealed upon a closing of the cover, said switch being in an off position when the cover is closed and in an on position when the cover is open, and driven fastener means securing the open ended projecting portion of the intake means directly to the undersurface of the seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,238,461 Carman Apr. 15, 1941 2,320,065 Briscoe et al. May 25, 1943 2,380,891 Wheeler July 31, 1945 2,743,462 McMillan May 1, 1956' 

